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eneral Epanchin lived in his own house near the Lit-
Gaynaya. Besides this large residence—five-sixths of
which was let in flats and lodgings-the general was own-
er of another enormous house in the Sadovaya bringing in
even more rent than the first. Besides these houses he had
a delightful little estate just out of town, and some sort of
factory in another part of the city. General Epanchin, as ev-
eryone knew, had a good deal to do with certain government
monopolies; he was also a voice, and an important one, in
many rich public companies of various descriptions; in fact,
he enjoyed the reputation of being a wellto-do man of busy
habits, many ties, and affluent means. He had made him-
self indispensable in several quarters, amongst others in his
department of the government; and yet it was a known fact
that Fedor Ivanovitch Epanchin was a man of no education
whatever, and had absolutely risen from the ranks.
This last fact could, of course, reflect nothing but credit
upon the general; and yet, though unquestionably a saga-
cious man, he had his own little weaknesses-very excusable
ones,—one of which was a dislike to any allusion to the
above circumstance. He was undoubtedly clever. For in-
stance, he made a point of never asserting himself when he
would gain more by keeping in the background; and in con-
sequence many exalted personages valued him principally

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